In this tutorial you will learn how to create a great mouse trail effect. The Flash tutorial clearly explains every step needed to build this animated mouse trails with beautiful smooth motion. There is no complicated ActionScript needed. This is a very easy mouse trail to build. So add some fun to your mouse cursor with this cool mouse trail effect: MotiveDesign.co.nz

If you have some great Flash work that you would like to feature on this site then please contact me: Phil Schulz

Step One: Setting up the Document

You need to create a new document and set it's size to 600 x 300.

Open a New Flash Document: File > New (Ctrl N)

If the General Tab is not selected, select it:

Select Flash Document:

Click: OK

Go to: Modify > Document(Ctrl J)

Set the size to: 600 x 300 px (or similar)

Click: OK

Step Two: Creating the Graphic Symbol

You now need to create a Graphic symbol which will be used as the basis of the animation. I am going to use a circle but you could use any shape. Just as I used a circle in one example and a star in another.

It would be possible to just place lots of instances of the Animation Movie Clip all over the main Stage but it is quicker and more versatile to create a group. You will then place several of these groups onto the Main Stage.

Go to: Insert > New Symbol(Ctrl F8)

For Name use: Animation Group

For Type select: Movie Clip

Click: OK

Go to: View > Grid > Edit Grid (Ctrl Alt G)

Select: Show Grid

Select: Snap to Grid

Select width: 25 px

Select height: 25px

Click: OK

If the Library is closed, open it: Window > Library(F11) or (Ctrl L)

Drag onto the Stage the Movie Clip: Animation

Drag the top left corner of the Movie clip so that it snaps onto the: Registration Point

Hold your Alt Key down and drag out a copy of the Symbol: Animation

Drag the top left corner of the new Movie clip so that it snaps: Right of theOriginal Symbol

Continue making copies until you have a matrix of: 3 x 3 Animation Symbols

Step Six: Setting Up the Main Stage

It is now time to place the animations onto the Main Stage and test the Movie. It is in this stage that you will see what your animated mouse trails look like. You first need to return to the Main Stage.

Return to the Main Stage by clicking on the Scene 1 Tab in
the Edit Bar:

If the Library is closed, open it: Window > Library(F11) or (Ctrl L)

Drag onto the Stage the Movie Clip: Animation Group

Drag the top left corner of the Movie clip so that it snaps to the: Top Left of the Main Stage

Continue make 8 copies of the: Animation Group

Test your Movie: Control > Test Movie (Ctrl Enter)

Close the Test Window:

Your Movie is now finished. In the next two steps I will show you how to edit the Movie to create variations of the Mouse Trail effect.

Step Seven: Adding Additional Trails

In this section you will create additional copies of the Animation Group to create a more abundant mouse trail.

Make additional copies of the: Animation Group Symbols

Stack the copies at random all over the: Main Stage

Test your Movie: Control > Test Movie (Ctrl Enter)

Close the Test Window:

Step Eight: Changing the Trails to Stars

In this section I will show you how to change your mouse trails from spots to little stars.

If the Library is closed, open it: Window > Library(F11) or (Ctrl L)

Double click on the Symbol: Graphic Shape

Delete the: Circle

Select the PolyStar tool:

In the Property Inspector Select: Options

Select Style: Star

Number of Sides: 5

Star point size: 0.5

Click: OK

Drag out a small star in the centre of the Stage: Draw a Star

Return to the standard Selection tool: (V)

Set both the Width & Height to: 17

Make sure your Star is in the: Centre of the Stage

Test your Movie: Control > Test Movie (Ctrl Enter)

Close the Test Window:

Of course you could place any shape into the Graphic Shape Symbol. I guess you could even put a small photo. When you make a great Mouse Tail animation send it to me(including the Flash file) and I will just place it here as an example. You will of course get credit and a link to your site. Have fun experimenting!

I hope you have found this useful. If so perhaps you could recommend this site to others and link to webwasp!